Most Ever Paid For A Stradivarius: $16m

June 21, 2011

A Stradivarius said to be in the best original condition of any of those still in existence sold to an anonymous bidder for nearly $16m, more than anyone has ever paid for a stringed instrument. The seller bought the museum quality violin in 2008 for $10m.

It is known as “The Lady Blunt” after Lord Byron’s granddaughter who owned it for 30-years. The violin was consigned by the Nippon Music Foundation. All of the proceeds go to Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief fund. The Foundation still owns more than a dozen other Stradivarius instruments that it loans to musicians, worldwide. The online bidding was hosted by Tarisio Auctions in London.

Towards the end of conductor Arturo Toscanini’s life, he received a rather special gift from the pianist Rudolf Serkin. It was a complete autograph score to Felix Mendelssohn’s Melusine overture, which the composer considered one of his finest works. Last night the 46 page manuscript sold at Sotheby’s London for $694,824, which was a bit more than it’s low estimate. All told, the auction of Toscanini’s manuscripts, letters and memorabilia realized just over $2m.

It’s the most famous prop from the one of the most celebrated films of all time. The upright piano from the 1942 classic “Casablanca”—the one on which Sam plays “As Time Goes By” for Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart—will be sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York on December 14th, when it’s expected to sell for as much as $1.2m.

Update: the “Casablanca” piano sold for about half its high estimate, or $602,500.

The guitar Kurt Cobain smashed at the end of a Nirvana music video will be for sale at a Christie’s London auction. They think somebody might bid $40,000. The musicians weren’t spend thrifts, they bought the Zen-On bass at a pawn shop just for the musical mayhem. The video, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was a smashing success.